Planting the SEED: A model to describe the functions of music in reminiscence therapy

Reminiscence Therapy and Music With Older Adults: A Descriptive Study Investigating the Current Views and Practices of Australian Aged Care Providers and Volunteers

Reminiscence therapy and music are often used to improve the wellbeing of older people; however, we do not know how these interventions are used in practice. This study explored how those working with older people view and use verbal Reminiscence Therapy (VRT) and Music-assisted Reminiscence Therapy (MRT). A total of 110 participants who worked or volunteered with older people in Australia were surveyed in this descriptive, mixed-method study. VRT and MRT were frequently and spontaneously used to respond to the varied needs of older adults. VRT and MRT lead to reported positive outcomes including better care practices, positive affect and mood, and improved social connections. MRT was used as a compensatory strategy when traditional VRT was not possible. This study describes the current practices of VRT and MRT, and an overview of how reminiscence-based approaches are used in Australia to address the health and wellbeing of older people.

Reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation for elderly stroke patients: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Although some studies suggest that robot-assisted technology can significantly improve upper limb function in stroke patients compared to traditional rehabilitation training, it is still necessary to incorporate an auxiliary intervention to alleviate negative emotions, thereby alleviating the post-stroke fatigue and encouraging patients to actively respond to rehabilitation. However, the effect of the auxiliary intervention is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation in elderly patients with upper limb dysfunction.

METHODS

From November 2022 to March 2023, elderly patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke were assigned to one of three groups, with group A receiving usual rehabilitation treatment and care plus robot-assisted rehabilitation and reminiscent music therapy, group B receiving usual rehabilitation treatment and care plus robot-assisted rehabilitation, and group C receiving only usual rehabilitation treatment and care. Thirty patients completed this study, with 10 participants in each group. Activities of daily living, self-esteem, rehabilitation self-efficacy, positive emotion and upper limb function were measured before and after the intervention. One-way analysis of variance, paired-sample t-test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Wilcoxon signed rank sum test and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

According to the intragroup comparisons, in the three groups, all outcome measurements were significantly higher than those at baseline (all P < 0.05). After the intervention, the differences in the self-management effectiveness, rehabilitation self-efficacy, and positive emotion score were statistically significant among the three groups (all P < 0.05). In accordance with the results of Bonferroni analysis, the self-management effectiveness score of group A was significantly higher than that of Group B and Group C (all P < 0.05). The rehabilitation self-efficacy score of group A was significantly higher than that of Group B and Group C (P < 0.05). The positive emotion score of group A was significantly higher than that of Group B and Group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation is a promising approach to improve rehabilitation self-efficacy and positive emotion, which is evidence that reminiscent music therapy may be an effective auxiliary intervention to improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Cognitive interventions for memory and psychological well-being in aging and dementias

The human lifespan has expanded drastically in the last few centuries, due to improvements in sanitation, medicine, and nutrition, but with this increase in longevity comes higher rates of cognitive pathology such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia; the latter is estimated to reach more than 75 million people by 2030. Pathology risk is related to measures of executive function, lifestyle factors (e.g., education, occupation, and leisure activities), and cognitive reserve. One way of building cognitive reserve may be to structure the environment to encourage lifelong engagement and learning, and since a pharmacological "cure" for dementia remains elusive, non-pharmacological approaches such as physical activity, social engagement, and cognitive stimulation are becoming increasingly essential to preserving and protecting brain health. Here, we describe our recent research into Reminiscence Therapy (RT) to promote cognitive and psychological function in old age and early dementia. We review the Recall Initiative, which involved brain imaging and behavioral indices of memory pre- and post-RT. We also report results from a pilot study-AIM WARM-in which RT was combined with physical activity, specifically walking, for early-stage dementia. Finally, we outline our future directions for tailored reminiscence interventions in combination with other activities (e.g., yoga and meditation) for different groups, namely early Alzheimer's disease, Semantic Dementia, and older individuals in the prison system.